Apple Says Fortnite for iOS Isn’t Blocked Worldwide, Just the U.S.

Apple today clarified that it has not blocked Epic Games from updating the iOS Fortnite app in the European Union, but it is not planning to allow ‌Epic Games‌ to offer Fortnite in the United States App Store at the current time. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that ‌Epic Games‌ tied its U.S. […]

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Apple Slaps Warnings on Apps Using External Purchases in the EU

Apple has begun placing prominent warning labels on EU App Store listings that use alternative payment methods. The warning symbols appear as a red exclamation mark in a triangle, accompanied by text stating that the app “does not support the App Store’s private and secure payment system” and “uses external purchases.” As noted by Michael […]

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Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020. Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what […]

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Apple Seeks to Pause ‘Extraordinary’ App Store Ruling in Epic Games Battle

Apple has filed an emergency motion asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to pause key parts of a recent ruling that dramatically changes how the App Store operates, following a contempt finding in its long-running legal battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games. In court documents filed Wednesday, Apple called the district court’s order “extraordinary” […]

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Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction

Apple is being sued by developers unhappy with the company’s “willful violation” of the anti-steering injunction the court ordered as part of its legal battle with Epic Games. A company called Pure Sweat Basketball has teamed up with law firm Hagens Berman to file a class-action lawsuit against Apple in an attempt to win some […]

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Apple Banned Epic Games’ Developer Account, So How Is Fortnite Coming Back to the U.S. App Store?

In the early days of the Apple vs. Epic Games legal battle, Apple banned the Epic Games developer account and all of Epic’s titles, like Fortnite, disappeared from the App Store. ‌Epic Games‌’ U.S. developer account has been banned for almost five years now, so when Epic said last week that it would bring Fortnite […]

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Spotify Updates iPhone App With Out-of-App Payment Options in U.S.

As planned, Spotify has updated its iPhone app in the U.S. with out-of-app pricing and subscription options for its Premium plans. The latest version of the app is now available in the App Store, and the added pricing information is rolling out. Spotify users in the U.S. can now view pricing information for its Individual, […]

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Apple Updates U.S. App Review Guidelines Following Epic Games Ruling

In the wake of yesterday’s court ruling in the dispute between Apple and Epic Games over Apple’s policies restricting developers’ ability to inform users about alternatives to making purchases through Apple’s in-app purchasing system, Apple has updated its App Review Guidelines to comply with the ruling. Apple summarized the changes in an email to developers […]

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Epic Games Setting Up Webshops for iOS Developers to Offer Users Out-of-App Purchases

Epic Games today announced plans for ‌Epic Games‌ Store Webshops, a feature that will allow developers to launch digital storefronts that are hosted by the ‌Epic Games‌ Store. With Apple’s mandated App Store rule changes in the United States, developers will soon be able to direct customers to web shops to make out-of-app purchases, bypassing […]

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Apple to Comply With New Court Ordered App Store Rules, But Will Appeal

Apple plans to change its U.S. App Store rules in accordance with a ruling from the U.S Northern District of California, Apple said in a statement to MacRumors. The company does plan to appeal the decision, though. “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal,” reads […]

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Apple’s Phil Schiller Initially Opposed 27% App Store Fee on External Purchases

Apple Fellow Phil Schiller testified in court on Monday that he initially opposed the 27% commission Apple now charges on purchases made outside the App Store, citing compliance risks and potential developer backlash (via AP News). Schiller, who oversees the App Store, said he had concerns that the fee would create an “antagonistic relationship” between […]

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Final Fantasy iOS Game Shuts Down Due to Curious In-App Purchase Bug

Square Enix today announced that iOS game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is shutting down immediately, due to some kind of in-app purchase bug. Apparently customers have been unable to access content purchased in the iOS app for the last several weeks, which Square Enix says is “due to changes made to the in-app purchases model.” […]

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Apple Faces Potential App Store Antitrust Probe in China

Apple could be facing a potential Chinese antitrust investigation into its App Store policies and developer fees, reports Bloomberg. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is said to have been critically examining Apple’s practices and holding discussions with the company since last year, specifically about its 30% commission on in-app purchases and restrictions on […]

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Apple Reveals iPhone App of the Year and More 2024 App Store Awards

Apple today revealed its 2024 App Store Award winners, including pro video camera app Kino, which was named iPhone App of the Year. There were 45 finalists across 12 categories, including a first-ever Apple Vision Pro category. Apple said the awards recognize developers who delivered the “highest levels of user experience, design, and innovation” on […]

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Apple Wins Last-Gasp Reprieve From Brazil App Store Changes

A Brazilian federal court has overturned an antitrust ruling that would have required Apple to allow third-party payment systems in the App Store within 20 days. The initial ruling, issued on November 26, came in response to a 2022 complaint from Latin American e-commerce platform MercadoLibre. The regulator had ordered Apple to remove restrictions on […]

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Apple Fails to Block $995M UK App Store Commission Lawsuit

A UK class action lawsuit against Apple over App Store commission fees will proceed after judges dismissed the company’s attempt to block the case, Bloomberg reports. Led by competition policy professor Sean Ennis, the suit alleges Apple’s 15-30% commission on App Store sales creates an anti-competitive tax on the UK technology industry. The lawsuit seeks […]

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